Greek christmas delicacies

Melomakarona

This is probably the most favorite of the Christmas delicacies that most people prefer. It’s basically a cookie made with flour, semolina, olive oil, orange juice and honey, that gets dipped while it’s hot into cold syrup and then gets sprinkled with walnuts(some put it in the cookie too). It’s crunchy on the outside and syrupy in the inside. The past years some people cover their melomakarona with chocolate, making them extra yummier, and other fill them with chocolate cream similar to nutella.

In some parts of Greece, they prepare a similar cookie which they do not dip in the syrup. That cookie is called “Finiki” and it’s perfect with the morning milk or coffee. 

Kourabies

The snowy trouble, as I call it, is also a cookie that’s made with flour, real butter and almonds. Its name comes from the Turkish word “Kurabiye” that means… cookie! Kourabies is very soft and melts in the mouth. Tt’s not as hard as most cookies so do not attempt eating them without holding a napkin in hand. It’s covered with powder sugar, hence the snowy trouble comment, and has big pieces of almond in it. 

Diples

These are typically made during the holidays but in some parts of Greece, like Crete, you can find them all year around. They are also given as a wedding treat. Diples is a dough made with eggs, flour and sugar that’s turned into a phyllo that gets dipped fried. Then it’s covered with honey syrup or powder sugar. A lot of people put cinnamon and walnuts on top for extra flavor and calories, of course!

Vasilopita

This is typically made for New Year’s. It’s a cake that has plenty of spices, walnuts, glazed fruit(in some areas), or even mastic, orange juice and generally… what ever reminds you of Winter and excites you. On the top of the cake the number of the New Year is formed usually with powder sugar and it is cut right after the New Year has entered. Inside it we hide a coin and who ever gets it in his piece, is considered to have a very lucky new year.